The Story of the Flood
Content
The Story of the Flood
Gilgamesh soon realizes that the old man he has been speaking to is in fact Utnapishtim. He is
surprised that Utnapishtim appears as just another man, whereas Gilgamesh had expected to
face a terrible demon. Gilgamesh asks Utnapishtim to explain how it came to be that he was
allowed to live as an immortal, and how Gilgamesh can do the same.
Utnapishtim explains that long ago he was once the king of city called Shuruppak, a city that
was situated on the Euphrates. The gods Anu, Enlil, Ninerta, Ea, and Ennugi met in council and
decided to bring a flood to destroy the city. Ea whispers to Utnapishtim through his house walls
to abandon his belongings and instead build a boat. Ea gave him dimensions for this boat. It
would have six decks and be of an enormous size, about 180 feet high. On this boat, Ea said,
Utnapishtim should bring his family and the seed of every species.
Utnapishtim asked Ea what he should tell the people of Shuruppak, since he needs help to
construct the boat, and people would naturally have questions as to his intent. Ea told
Utnapishtim to tell the people that he must leave the city because Enlil is angry with him and
that he must find a new home and a new divine protector. Ea says to tell the people that he will
be Utnapishtim’s patron and that Utnapishtim will travel to Apsu, the abyss. Ea also instructed
Utnapishtim to tell the people of Shuruppak that a flood of bounty and good fortune would greet
the city upon Utnapishtim’s departure. Food and drink would be plentiful with more than enough
bread and fish for everyone.
The people of Shuruppak, young and old, came out to help with the construction of the boat.
Each day Utnapishtim would sacrifice a bull or lamb and beer and wine were in great supply for
a great feast. Each day ended with a festival-like celebration. In just seven days, the boat was
complete. Utnapishtim loaded all his belongings on to the vessel and after some difficulty was
able to cast off.
Storm clouds gathered as Utnapishtim set the boat adrift. Utnapishtim shields himself inside the
boat with the help of Puzuramurri, the caulker. He gives the caulker his home as thanks and
settles in while the storm rages outside. Utnapishtim describes a terrible storm that lasts for
seven days. The storm is so thick that the gods cannot even see the earth from the heavens.
Ishtar cries out in anguish over the loss of humanity.
When the storm finally subsides, Utnapishtim looked out but saw nothing moving. There were
no signs of life anywhere but he sees something in the distance that may be an island. He tries
to steer the boat in that direction but finds that the boat is caught on the peak of Mount Nisir.
After being stuck there for seven days Utnapishtim releases a dove into the air to see if it can
find a place to land. It returns to the boat. Utnapishtim next frees a swallow into the air but it too
returns to the boat. Finally, Utnapishtim releases a raven and the bird does not return this time.
After that, Utnapishtim released all the birds.
Upon reaching shore, Utnapishtim prepares a sacrifice and offers libations to the gods. The
gods descend and gather around the altar. Ishtar tells Utnapishtim that she will never forget the
flood and its terrible price. She says that Enlil is forbidden from attending this ceremony. Enlil
does appear, however, and upon seeing the boat and Utnapishtim becomes enraged,
demanding to know how one man was able to survive. Ninurta tells Enlil that Ea has the answer.
Ea reprimands Enlil for inflicting a punishment on all of humanity for what one man may have
done to upset him. Ea states that the punishment does not fit the crime. Ea says that he did not
tell Utnapishtim of the gods’ plan, but that Utnapishtim guessed it and acted wisely. Ea suggest
a reward is in order for Utnapishtim. Enlil then took Utnapishtim and his wife aboard the boat
and made them kneel before him. He touches their foreheads and decrees that their mortality
has ended and that they are admitted into the company of the gods, to live forever. He tells
them they will now journey to the Faraway, a place beyond the world of mortals, where all the
rivers originate, and reside there.
Psalm 23
1: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The speaker says that the Lord (God) is like a shepherd to him. This sets up an explicit
metaphor in which humanity, or at least the community of believers, is a flock of sheep
tended by God.
The role of a shepherd is to lead his sheep to green pastures, to protect them from
predators, to make sure that none get lost or go astray. You could take shepherd as
synonymous for "protector."
Be careful with the phrase, "I shall not want." The speaker's not saying "The Lord is my
shepherd, but I don't want him."
Instead, he means that with God as his protector, he won't lack anything he needs. The
word "want" means "lack."
The speaker's complete confidence in God is apparent early on. This is no crisis of faith
or doubt.
It is common in the English translations of the Bible for God or Yahweh to be translated
as "Lord."
Christians also call Jesus "Lord." Some Christians interpret the Lord mentioned here as
Jesus, though according to Christian doctrine, God and Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) are
one and the same, part of the Holy Trinity.
2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Here the metaphor of sheep and shepherd is still goin' strong. The speaker is declaring
himself a sheep here, so don't be surprised if he acts like one.
The Lord takes the speaker to fertile green pastures where he can eat his fill and then lie
down to rest. This is a good image because green pastures are alluring to both sheep
and humans, though for different reasons.
We may think that a green pasture is just a beautiful, peaceful spot, but for a sheep it's a
vital necessity in order to find enough food. This line, then, gives a specific example to
back up the point that the shepherd won't let his sheep lack any essentials.
The Lord also takes the speaker-as-sheep to calm waters to drink and refresh himself.
His thirst is quenched: another example of a necessity met.
The availability of food and drink also serves as a nice implied metaphor for the way that
God satisfies the speaker's spiritual (as opposed to literal) hunger and thirst.
The stillness of the waters indicates that there are no storms or winds to disturb this
peaceful scene. Also, a still pool of water is probably more pleasant to drink from than
some rushing stream. We can vouch for that one.
The word "maketh" does not mean "forced" here – don't picture some shepherd shoving
a poor sheep down into the grass! It means "creates the opportunity for."
3: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Now the psalm transitions away from the metaphor of shepherd into an explanation of
the spiritual meaning of "shepherd."
God cares for the speaker's soul as well as his ability to know right from wrong and pick
the right path.
The translation of "restores" (oh sorry, "restoreth") is tricky. Is he saying that his soul was
lost before God restored it? We would guess that "restore" means something more like,
"bring back to full vitality." Or, put more simply, "refresh."
What does it mean that God leads the speaker to righteousnessfor his name's sake?
What the phrase "for his name's sake" most likely means is the old idea that good
actions are performed for the sake of goodness only. And God is ultimate goodness.
The opposite of "for his name's sake" would be "for my sake."
Some Christian commentators interpret this line in light of the idea of unearned and
undeserved grace.
4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Now the psalm turns to a darker note – this part of the psalm is why it's so often read at
funerals (and yet not at Thanksgiving, perhaps?).
Even though the speaker walks in the shadow of death, he doesn't have any fear
because God is there.
God's shepherd's rod and staff comfort the speaker. These two things are actually the
same thing – a big stick that a shepherd uses to guide the flock.
Images of staffs are common in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. You
might remember that Moses had a staff that he used to part the waters of the Red Sea.
Also, one of the symbols for the Catholic pope is a staff.
What is this valley anyway? Is its name "Shadow of Death Valley"? Isn't that somewhere
in California? Where do I find it on a map?
All kidding aside, a valley is a place surrounded by hills or mountains, which often cast a
shadow below. So this is not some pleasant little valley, and those imposing mountains
that surround it are symbolic of death. It's a place of danger where many bad things or
"evils" could occur.
Some people think that the valley is also a symbol of general despair or dark times, as
opposed to a specific fear of death.
But the speaker has absolute trust that even in a dangerous environment the shepherd
will guide him in the right way.
You might interpret that the path through the valley is the "path of righteousness."
The "yea" at the beginning of the line isn't celebratory – "Valley of Death! Yesss!" In the
New Revised Standard Version translation of the Bible, the "yea, though" is translated to
"even though."
5: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head
with oil; my cup runneth over.
Some readers consider lines 5 and 6 to be the second part of the psalm because it's
thematically different.
The metaphor of the shepherd completely disappears now.
The line describes how God lays out a banquet for the speaker, even when his enemies
are nearby.
What is the role of the enemies, do you think? Has God made peace between the
speaker and his enemies, and now they're sitting down for a meal together? Or do the
enemies merely symbolize danger, in the presence of which the speaker is still safe and
able to enjoy a luxurious banquet?
The whole of the poem is highly symbolic and you should not take the individual images
too literally. They're open to a wide variety of interpretations.
That said, the passage doesn't say anything specific about bringing peace, so the main
point seems to be that the speaker feels enough at ease to enjoy himself and have a
good time. Also, he doesn't even have to do any of the cooking!
"Anointment" is a sacred act of setting a person apart and and making him holy. It is
symbolized by rubbing oil on the person.
There's so much wine (or insert preferred delicious beverage here) in his cup that the
liquid is literally overflowing the cup. God doesn't just provide enough, He provides more
than enough.
6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.
There is just no doubt in the speaker's mind that with God on his side; he's totally set for
life. The amount of trust and confidence expressed in these words is remarkable.
There's no sense that God could withdraw his mercy at any moment and send the
speaker plunging into misery – no sir. This isn't the Book of Job, where this happens.
God will continue to lead him on the path to "goodness." Not only that, God will also
show mercy if, for some reason owing to his clumsy sheep-like nature, he wanders off
the right path.
He plans to live in God's house forever. Why would he ever leave? It's like crashing on
the couch in the Vanderbilt Mansion. And God doesn't seem to care how often the
speaker raids the fridge.
There are two sides to the idea that he plans to dwell in the Lord's house. First, that the
speaker has no wish or desire to be anywhere else. Second, that God will never kick him
out.
"For ever" may point beyond the speaker's life and into eternity or some kind of afterlife.
Notice how in the first part of the poem the Lord is a shepherd, and in the last two lines
God is more like a great host.
The LORD is my shepherd = RELATIONSHIP
I shall not be in want = SUPPLY
He makes me lie down in green pastures = REST
He leads me beside quiet waters = REFRESHMENT
He restores my soul = HEALING
He guides me in paths of righteousness = GUIDANCE
For his name's sake = PURPOSE
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = TESTING
I will fear no evil = PROTECTION
For you are with me = FAITHFULNESS
Your rod and your staff they comfort me = DISCIPLINE
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies = HOPE
You anoint my head with oil = CONSECRATION
My cup overflows = ABUNDANCE
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life = BLESSING
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD = SECURITY
Forever = ETERNITY
Gilgamesh soon realizes that the old man he has been speaking to is in fact Utnapishtim. He is
surprised that Utnapishtim appears as just another man, whereas Gilgamesh had expected to
face a terrible demon. Gilgamesh asks Utnapishtim to explain how it came to be that he was
allowed to live as an immortal, and how Gilgamesh can do the same.
Utnapishtim explains that long ago he was once the king of city called Shuruppak, a city that
was situated on the Euphrates. The gods Anu, Enlil, Ninerta, Ea, and Ennugi met in council and
decided to bring a flood to destroy the city. Ea whispers to Utnapishtim through his house walls
to abandon his belongings and instead build a boat. Ea gave him dimensions for this boat. It
would have six decks and be of an enormous size, about 180 feet high. On this boat, Ea said,
Utnapishtim should bring his family and the seed of every species.
Utnapishtim asked Ea what he should tell the people of Shuruppak, since he needs help to
construct the boat, and people would naturally have questions as to his intent. Ea told
Utnapishtim to tell the people that he must leave the city because Enlil is angry with him and
that he must find a new home and a new divine protector. Ea says to tell the people that he will
be Utnapishtim’s patron and that Utnapishtim will travel to Apsu, the abyss. Ea also instructed
Utnapishtim to tell the people of Shuruppak that a flood of bounty and good fortune would greet
the city upon Utnapishtim’s departure. Food and drink would be plentiful with more than enough
bread and fish for everyone.
The people of Shuruppak, young and old, came out to help with the construction of the boat.
Each day Utnapishtim would sacrifice a bull or lamb and beer and wine were in great supply for
a great feast. Each day ended with a festival-like celebration. In just seven days, the boat was
complete. Utnapishtim loaded all his belongings on to the vessel and after some difficulty was
able to cast off.
Storm clouds gathered as Utnapishtim set the boat adrift. Utnapishtim shields himself inside the
boat with the help of Puzuramurri, the caulker. He gives the caulker his home as thanks and
settles in while the storm rages outside. Utnapishtim describes a terrible storm that lasts for
seven days. The storm is so thick that the gods cannot even see the earth from the heavens.
Ishtar cries out in anguish over the loss of humanity.
When the storm finally subsides, Utnapishtim looked out but saw nothing moving. There were
no signs of life anywhere but he sees something in the distance that may be an island. He tries
to steer the boat in that direction but finds that the boat is caught on the peak of Mount Nisir.
After being stuck there for seven days Utnapishtim releases a dove into the air to see if it can
find a place to land. It returns to the boat. Utnapishtim next frees a swallow into the air but it too
returns to the boat. Finally, Utnapishtim releases a raven and the bird does not return this time.
After that, Utnapishtim released all the birds.
Upon reaching shore, Utnapishtim prepares a sacrifice and offers libations to the gods. The
gods descend and gather around the altar. Ishtar tells Utnapishtim that she will never forget the
flood and its terrible price. She says that Enlil is forbidden from attending this ceremony. Enlil
does appear, however, and upon seeing the boat and Utnapishtim becomes enraged,
demanding to know how one man was able to survive. Ninurta tells Enlil that Ea has the answer.
Ea reprimands Enlil for inflicting a punishment on all of humanity for what one man may have
done to upset him. Ea states that the punishment does not fit the crime. Ea says that he did not
tell Utnapishtim of the gods’ plan, but that Utnapishtim guessed it and acted wisely. Ea suggest
a reward is in order for Utnapishtim. Enlil then took Utnapishtim and his wife aboard the boat
and made them kneel before him. He touches their foreheads and decrees that their mortality
has ended and that they are admitted into the company of the gods, to live forever. He tells
them they will now journey to the Faraway, a place beyond the world of mortals, where all the
rivers originate, and reside there.
Psalm 23
1: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The speaker says that the Lord (God) is like a shepherd to him. This sets up an explicit
metaphor in which humanity, or at least the community of believers, is a flock of sheep
tended by God.
The role of a shepherd is to lead his sheep to green pastures, to protect them from
predators, to make sure that none get lost or go astray. You could take shepherd as
synonymous for "protector."
Be careful with the phrase, "I shall not want." The speaker's not saying "The Lord is my
shepherd, but I don't want him."
Instead, he means that with God as his protector, he won't lack anything he needs. The
word "want" means "lack."
The speaker's complete confidence in God is apparent early on. This is no crisis of faith
or doubt.
It is common in the English translations of the Bible for God or Yahweh to be translated
as "Lord."
Christians also call Jesus "Lord." Some Christians interpret the Lord mentioned here as
Jesus, though according to Christian doctrine, God and Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) are
one and the same, part of the Holy Trinity.
2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Here the metaphor of sheep and shepherd is still goin' strong. The speaker is declaring
himself a sheep here, so don't be surprised if he acts like one.
The Lord takes the speaker to fertile green pastures where he can eat his fill and then lie
down to rest. This is a good image because green pastures are alluring to both sheep
and humans, though for different reasons.
We may think that a green pasture is just a beautiful, peaceful spot, but for a sheep it's a
vital necessity in order to find enough food. This line, then, gives a specific example to
back up the point that the shepherd won't let his sheep lack any essentials.
The Lord also takes the speaker-as-sheep to calm waters to drink and refresh himself.
His thirst is quenched: another example of a necessity met.
The availability of food and drink also serves as a nice implied metaphor for the way that
God satisfies the speaker's spiritual (as opposed to literal) hunger and thirst.
The stillness of the waters indicates that there are no storms or winds to disturb this
peaceful scene. Also, a still pool of water is probably more pleasant to drink from than
some rushing stream. We can vouch for that one.
The word "maketh" does not mean "forced" here – don't picture some shepherd shoving
a poor sheep down into the grass! It means "creates the opportunity for."
3: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Now the psalm transitions away from the metaphor of shepherd into an explanation of
the spiritual meaning of "shepherd."
God cares for the speaker's soul as well as his ability to know right from wrong and pick
the right path.
The translation of "restores" (oh sorry, "restoreth") is tricky. Is he saying that his soul was
lost before God restored it? We would guess that "restore" means something more like,
"bring back to full vitality." Or, put more simply, "refresh."
What does it mean that God leads the speaker to righteousnessfor his name's sake?
What the phrase "for his name's sake" most likely means is the old idea that good
actions are performed for the sake of goodness only. And God is ultimate goodness.
The opposite of "for his name's sake" would be "for my sake."
Some Christian commentators interpret this line in light of the idea of unearned and
undeserved grace.
4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Now the psalm turns to a darker note – this part of the psalm is why it's so often read at
funerals (and yet not at Thanksgiving, perhaps?).
Even though the speaker walks in the shadow of death, he doesn't have any fear
because God is there.
God's shepherd's rod and staff comfort the speaker. These two things are actually the
same thing – a big stick that a shepherd uses to guide the flock.
Images of staffs are common in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. You
might remember that Moses had a staff that he used to part the waters of the Red Sea.
Also, one of the symbols for the Catholic pope is a staff.
What is this valley anyway? Is its name "Shadow of Death Valley"? Isn't that somewhere
in California? Where do I find it on a map?
All kidding aside, a valley is a place surrounded by hills or mountains, which often cast a
shadow below. So this is not some pleasant little valley, and those imposing mountains
that surround it are symbolic of death. It's a place of danger where many bad things or
"evils" could occur.
Some people think that the valley is also a symbol of general despair or dark times, as
opposed to a specific fear of death.
But the speaker has absolute trust that even in a dangerous environment the shepherd
will guide him in the right way.
You might interpret that the path through the valley is the "path of righteousness."
The "yea" at the beginning of the line isn't celebratory – "Valley of Death! Yesss!" In the
New Revised Standard Version translation of the Bible, the "yea, though" is translated to
"even though."
5: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head
with oil; my cup runneth over.
Some readers consider lines 5 and 6 to be the second part of the psalm because it's
thematically different.
The metaphor of the shepherd completely disappears now.
The line describes how God lays out a banquet for the speaker, even when his enemies
are nearby.
What is the role of the enemies, do you think? Has God made peace between the
speaker and his enemies, and now they're sitting down for a meal together? Or do the
enemies merely symbolize danger, in the presence of which the speaker is still safe and
able to enjoy a luxurious banquet?
The whole of the poem is highly symbolic and you should not take the individual images
too literally. They're open to a wide variety of interpretations.
That said, the passage doesn't say anything specific about bringing peace, so the main
point seems to be that the speaker feels enough at ease to enjoy himself and have a
good time. Also, he doesn't even have to do any of the cooking!
"Anointment" is a sacred act of setting a person apart and and making him holy. It is
symbolized by rubbing oil on the person.
There's so much wine (or insert preferred delicious beverage here) in his cup that the
liquid is literally overflowing the cup. God doesn't just provide enough, He provides more
than enough.
6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.
There is just no doubt in the speaker's mind that with God on his side; he's totally set for
life. The amount of trust and confidence expressed in these words is remarkable.
There's no sense that God could withdraw his mercy at any moment and send the
speaker plunging into misery – no sir. This isn't the Book of Job, where this happens.
God will continue to lead him on the path to "goodness." Not only that, God will also
show mercy if, for some reason owing to his clumsy sheep-like nature, he wanders off
the right path.
He plans to live in God's house forever. Why would he ever leave? It's like crashing on
the couch in the Vanderbilt Mansion. And God doesn't seem to care how often the
speaker raids the fridge.
There are two sides to the idea that he plans to dwell in the Lord's house. First, that the
speaker has no wish or desire to be anywhere else. Second, that God will never kick him
out.
"For ever" may point beyond the speaker's life and into eternity or some kind of afterlife.
Notice how in the first part of the poem the Lord is a shepherd, and in the last two lines
God is more like a great host.
The LORD is my shepherd = RELATIONSHIP
I shall not be in want = SUPPLY
He makes me lie down in green pastures = REST
He leads me beside quiet waters = REFRESHMENT
He restores my soul = HEALING
He guides me in paths of righteousness = GUIDANCE
For his name's sake = PURPOSE
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = TESTING
I will fear no evil = PROTECTION
For you are with me = FAITHFULNESS
Your rod and your staff they comfort me = DISCIPLINE
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies = HOPE
You anoint my head with oil = CONSECRATION
My cup overflows = ABUNDANCE
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life = BLESSING
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD = SECURITY
Forever = ETERNITY
